8 DAYS AGO • 6 MIN READ

Curious about Colgate's 1980s flop?

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Alt Marketing School

Alt Marketing School is a modern marketing school that is 100% vibes, zero gatekeeping. We believe in marketing to hearts, and that marketers need marketers to make their craft better every day (and feel less lonely in the process).

Alt Marketing School

Market to hearts 🫶

This issue is presented by

Find Marketing


Happy Monday Reader, are you OOTOing or still going through your to-dos?

Regardless, we are with you in spirit (and potentially very jeal 👀). Here's this week's quiz.

What unexpected product did Colgate try (and fail) to launch in the 1980s?

A) Frozen lasagna
B) Banana-flavoured chewing gum
C) Shampoo
D) Socks

Answer at the bottom of this email

Here’s what you’ll find in this week’s newsletter👇

📝 Quick fix

One Prompt to Tighten your Messaging

🤿 Deep dive

Cinnamon Crunch Taps into Gen Z Nostalgia

🗓️ One for your calendar

How To Talk About Who You Help as a Freelancer


We are saying a special hello in our newsletter to one of our newest students Sophie 🫶

Anu & Fab

The AMS Newsletter is compiled and edited by Anu and Fab

ps. Ready to join forces with the coolest kids in marketing and reach an audience of 10,000+ rebels? We're on the lookout for partners! Find out more here.


A word from our friends (and sponsors) 🫶

Join the Ultimate UK Marketing Directory

Stand out without the LinkedIn noise. For experienced marketing specialists and agencies who deliver real competitive advantage. Find Marketing matches business owners with marketing talent based on specific skills and industry experience. Members get valuable business benefits plus optional freelancer perks including 24/7 GP access, retail discounts, and mental health support.

Enter AMS25 at checkout to get a 25% discount on ongoing membership.


COMMUNITY CORNER 🫶

Interactive workshop: How to Master AI for Marketing

Most freelancers and marketers are still stuck in AI trial-and-error mode – jumping between tools, testing random prompts, and hoping something sticks. It can feel like a full-time job just trying to keep up.

In this live, interactive session hosted by Freelancing For Good, a Marketing Innovation Consultant Hillary Lyons will walk you through a holistic approach to AI marketing that moves beyond quick wins and one-off prompts.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to sharpen your edge, this session will help you think more clearly, work more efficiently, and spot new opportunities to grow with AI – whatever your tools or niche may be.

JOBS BULLETIN

Looking for a new project or role? We got you covered ⤵︎

  • Bumble Inc. is hiring a Marketing Lead, France
  • Morning Brew Inc. is hiring an Associate Director, Writer
  • Decagon is hiring a Head of Growth Marketing
  • Plant Futures is hiring a Video Editor

Have a role you'd like to get in front of 10,000+ marketing rebels? Start hiring here


CLASS IN SESSION 👩‍🏫

YOUR QUICK FIX 📝

How to Tighten your Messaging

Let’s be honest, most of us are saying too much.

When people are skimming, multitasking, and deciding in seconds, your message needs to land fast. The clearer your pitch, the more likely it sticks.

Think of it like sculpting: you start with a block of ideas and chip away until only the essentials remain.

Here’s how to simplify without watering it down:

1️⃣ Write it all out

Capture everything you want to say about your offer. Features, benefits, context. Just get it on the page.

2️⃣ Use your customers’ words

Dig into reviews, support messages, and DMs. Look for recurring phrases, emotional triggers, and pain points as they’re often more powerful than anything marketing can invent.

3️⃣ Cut it in half

Trim until you’re left with only what matters most. What’s truly unique or valuable? Keep that. Lose the rest.

4️⃣ Distil into 1–2 sentences

Turn it into a tight, compelling statement that clearly communicates what you do, who it’s for, and why it matters.

5️⃣ Use ChatGPT to tighten further

Paste in your long version and ask:

“You are a world-class copywriter. Turn this into a single, high-impact sentence that clearly explains what this is, who it’s for, and why it matters: emotion-first, jargon-free.”

If you can’t explain it clearly in one sentence, you may be losing people along the way.

Want more ideas? Full list available in our all-access pass: become a marketing rebel!

DEEP DIVE 🤿

Cinnamon Crunch Gen Z Nostalgia

Love Island memes > ad copy.

The now-viral “I’m a mum” moment between Huda and Nic has become the latest meme playground for beauty and wellness brands. Hulken and Cocokind are remixing the scene into carousel posts, pairing full-size products with ‘mini’ versions as the punchline.

What marketers can learn:

When culture hands you a meme, run with it. Just remember to ask yourself: will my audience be part of the story, or will it fall flat?

If the answer is yes, tap into viral scenes while they’re still hot, then tailor the format to your product story. It’s quick, relevant, and scroll-stopping.

Want more ideas? Full list available in our all-access pass: become a marketing rebel!


HOT THIS WEEK 🔥

📅 How To Talk About Who You Help With Christine Gritmon

July 16 @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Join Christine Gritmon as she gets us out of our own heads and into the heads of our buyer in a way they’ll really identify with.

She explains how to communicate with your target audience in a way that will make them stand up and say, “Hey, that’s me!”-and then effectively demonstrate your thorough understanding of their problems so they know you’re the one to help them out!

Resource: Communication Biases Worksheet

This worksheet will help you recognise and reduce biases in your marketing communications. By applying the PAUSE framework, you can create messages that are more inclusive and resonate better with diverse audiences, leading to stronger connections and improved results.

Did you miss any of the AMS podcast episodes?

Don’t forget to rate the AMS Podcast on Apple (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)


WORK SMARTER 🧠

Fabulous Inspiration Bank 🏫

No need to manually organise your notes or spend hours looking for that one article you saved. With this database, you'll have a goldmine of past ideas and resources to spark inspiration when you're facing a creative drought.

More resources for you

  • ✍️ Canva Marketing Proposal: Access Here
  • 🧰 Client Projects & Hourly Log: Access Here
  • 🆓 50+ Copywriting Principles: Access Here

Did you know you can access all of our courses and templates with our all-access pass?


Ready to make some magic together?

We see you had to skip all the way to the end - we gotchu 👀

  • New accreditation - Join our 4-week self-paced ethical and sustainable marketing accelerator.
  • Partner - Reach a community of 10,000+ marketing rebels waiting to be WOWed by your awesomeness.
  • Get certified - Join us for our 12-week accredited qualification and turn campaigns into conversations and clicks into genuine connections.
  • Upskill - Stream our courses and workshops anytime, anywhere.

🔮 The answer to our quiz is...

The correct answer is A) Frozen lasagna

Colgate tried launching Colgate Kitchen Entrees, a line of frozen dinners. Unsurprisingly, consumers didn't associate toothpaste with tasty meals. It flopped spectacularly.

ps. Ready to join forces with the coolest kids in marketing and reach an audience of 10,000+ rebels? We're on the lookout for partners! Find out more here.

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LET'S MAKE MARKETING HUMAN TOGETHER 🤘



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Alt Marketing School

Alt Marketing School is a modern marketing school that is 100% vibes, zero gatekeeping. We believe in marketing to hearts, and that marketers need marketers to make their craft better every day (and feel less lonely in the process).